Page 34 of Break: Vol. 2

I pulled her closer. “Just a lot on my mind,” I told her, unsure how to explain my insecurities.

When we were together, just Jamie and me, I was the one who took control. I dominated her. She loved it. I loved it. So, it didn’t feel right to express my fears.

Almost as if she could sense that, her hand clamped down on my wrist and she turned her gaze up to meet mine. “Want to share with me what’s up?” she asked.

My eyes widened at the tone in her voice. Though she’d phrased it as a question, it was clear she wanted to know and even if I turned her down, she probably wouldn’t let up. I sighed. “Don’t worry about it, Baby, I—”

“Do you regret asking me to marry you?” she blurted.

I blinked, pausing as I was stunned into silence. I frowned. “What?”

“Do you regret asking me to marry you?” she repeated, eyes never wavering.

“Of course not,” I said quickly. “How could you think that?”

She bit down on her lip. “Well…” Her gaze turned away from mine as she looked out across the apartment building parking lot and towards where the university lay in the near distance. “You were so quiet and I just wondered … maybe you felt like you had to be ready if the others were ready, but if you’re not ready to commit—”

“No, no, no, Baby.” I turned her forcefully to face me, cupping her shoulders in my hands. “That’s not it at all.”

“Then what is it?” she pressed. “Something’s obviously bothering you, and I don’t want you to think that you have to marry me if—”

“I want to marry you,” I cut her off, feeling the words coming from my mouth with every fiber of my being. “I want to marry you like I’ve never wanted anything in my whole life.”

“Maybe you think having one girl to yourself would be better,” she replied.

I shake my head. “It wouldn’t matter if I had one girl to myself if that girl wasn’t you,” I insisted. “Jamie, I’m in fucking love with you. You’re it for me. For as long as I live, I will never want another woman the way I want you. I’m trying to figure out why the fuck you’d want to marry me.” The idea that she thought I wasn’t ready to commit to her was preposterous.

“What?” She gaped at me.

I realized my mistake almost immediately. “Shit,” I cursed, releasing her and turning away.

“Oh, no.” She grabbed my arm, latching onto me with surprising strength. “What did you mean that you’re trying to figure out why I’d want to marry you?” she demanded.

I groaned. I may have been able to control her and bend her to my will in the bedroom, but in the real world, Jamie was a force to be reckoned with. It was heady, I admitted to myself, having this strong, independent woman get on her knees for me and submit, but it did have its drawbacks. Like now—because there was no way I could Dom my way out of this situation.

A sigh released from me. “I’m just concerned that you agreed to marry four guys,” I said. “You have no reason to not want to marry Darren and Cody and Taylor, but me…”

“What about you?” she pressed when I trailed off.

“I come with baggage,” I said. “My family. My mother. What Stephan tried to—”

“You are not your family, Dex,” she hissed, cutting me off and tightening her hold on my arm at the same time. “Do you think I don’t know myself?”

Shit, how did I get out of this?“No,” I said. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I love you.” Jamie pulled hard on my arm until I bent over, putting her face level with mine. She released my limb abruptly only to move her hands to my face. Her cool fingers touched my jawline, holding me still. “And I am more than ready to make you mine and to give you me in return. I’m not naïve—okay, well, maybe a little—if I think this can actually work because technically I think it’s illegal to marry more than one person, but we’ll figure it out—”

“You’re babbling,” I informed her gently, trying not to smile. It was growing increasingly difficult. She always made smiling so easy.

“I am, sorry, you’re right. Back to the matter at hand.” Her beautiful gaze settled back on my face. “You are absolutely crazy if you think I agreed to marry you just because of the others. I knew what it meant when you guys asked me to marry you. I knew what it meant when I accepted. I know what I want and I don’t think it’s that hard to figure it out.”

“Even knowing that my family may become an issue in the future?” I asked. “I don’t speak with them much now after what happened, but—”

“I hate that,” she confessed.

“What?”

“I hate that you don’t talk to your family,” she said. “I mean, yes, Stephan was a fucking dick and I don’t like him, but I’ve never liked that you stopped talking to them because of me. It makes me feel guilty—even knowing that what happened wasn’t my fault.”

“I don’t need to,” I replied. “You’re my family.”

“You’re damn right I am,” she snapped in response. “And so are the guys, and family doesn’t lie to each other. So, know that I’m not lying to you now. I love you, Dexter, and I am ready to marry you … and three of our best friends.”

I snorted. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” I insisted even as her hands loosened their hold and allowed me to move closer.

“It’s … exactly … what … I want…” Her voice trailed off as I pressed her chest against mine and lowered my head. All of the anxieties I’d felt before weren’t gone, but they had been assuaged. They were still there, but quieter.

She had silenced them for me and as I pressed my lips against hers, I whispered the truth to her. “Then allow me to give you everything you want, Baby,” I said. “Forever…”

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